Potato spindle tuber pospiviroid is no longer found in Australia
Potato spindle tuber pospiviroid (PSTVd – EPPO A2 quarantine pest) had been detected previously in Australia. Outbreaks were found in potato breeding programmes in Victoria and New South Wales in 1982 and were subsequently eradicated. PSTVd was also detected and eradicated in breeding tomatoes in Northern Territory. In Western Australia, the pathogen was detected and subsequently eradicated from the affected property. The most recent detection (June 2001) was in a glasshouse of tomatoes in New South Wales (2 plants on 1 farm). Surveys of glasshouse tomatoes have recently been finalized in New South Wales. 500,000 tomato plants grown on 15 properties have been surveyed over the last 12 months, and no symptoms were observed. On the farm where the 2 infected plants had been found, monthly inspections failed to detect the disease. It is considered that the outbreak in Western Australia has been eradicated and that PSTVd is no longer present in Australia.
The situation of PSTVd in Australia can be described as follows: Absent, reported in the past but no longer found.
Sources
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Potato spindle tuber, tomato – Australia (NSW) 1 & 2, ProMEd postings of 2003-06-18 & 2003-06-20.
http://www.promedmail.org
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - Australia
Potato Spindle Tuber Viroid
http://www.dpie.gov.au
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